7th Edition of Global Conference on
Addiction Medicine, Behavioral Health and Psychiatry
October 19-21, 2026 | Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Behavioral Addiction Neurobiology
Behavioral addictions, such as gambling or internet use, share neurobiological features with substance use disorders. The neurobiology of behavioral addiction involves the activation of the brain's reward pathways, particularly the mesolimbic dopamine system, which drives compulsive behavior. When individuals engage in addictive behaviors, they experience a surge in dopamine release, leading to feelings of pleasure and reinforcing the behavior. Over time, repeated activation of these pathways can result in tolerance, where more of the behavior is needed to achieve the same rewarding effect, and withdrawal symptoms when the behavior is discontinued. Understanding the neurobiology of behavioral addiction has led to the development of pharmacological treatments aimed at modulating dopamine transmission, as well as behavioral interventions to address the psychological components of addiction.
Nile Stanley
University of North Florida, United States
Ann Marie Leonard Zabel
Curry College, United States
Edie Raether
NeuroShifts and Wings for Wishes Academy, United States
Sindu Padmanabhan
Bharathiar University, India
Kayla Albers
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, United States
Jorja Jamison
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, United States
Andrew Drasen
A Vision of Hope Media, United StatesSubmit your abstract Today
Title : The Storm Within: Neuropsychological Insights into Dysregulation and Substance Use in the Adolescent Brain.
Ann Marie Leonard Zabel, Curry College, United States
Title : Sexualizing anxiety and anxiolytic sex: Misattribution of arousal
Sam Vaknin, CIAPS, Cambridge, United Kingdom
Title : Workplace and occupational mental health: Supporting well-being at work
Sindu Padmanabhan, Bharathiar University, India
Title : Resilience in counseling: Processing grief for the addictions counselor
Kayla Albers, Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, United States
Title : Resilience in counseling: Processing grief for the addictions counselor
Jorja Jamison, Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School, United States
Title : Identity restoration as a missing variable in relapse prevention
Andrew Drasen, A Vision of Hope Media, United States